I know it is perhaps a bit over done......
... but I wanted to explain some things about things which have been mentioned in this thread so far. As you most likely already know I love history, so sit back and enjoy the free lesson.....
But first something very practical........
A nice conversion tool
A long time ago Milton Shupe pointed me towards a very nice free conversion tool. I use it both private as at work. You can find it here: http://joshmadison.com/software/convert-for-windows/
It is simple, but very handy and will run on any operating system.
A small history lesson about Finland during the Second World War.
Finland has been part of Sweden from 1200 until the end of the Finnish war between Sweden and Russia in 1809, when the Swedish lost Finland to Russia. Although Finland and Russia technically had one Head of State, it had the status of an autonomous Grand Duchy. When the Rusian empire collapsed this led to Finland's declaration of independence on 6 December 1917. This caused a civil war in Finland between the social democrats (Reds) and the conservatives (Whites). The Whites were supported by Imperial Germany and the Red by the Sovjets. The whites prevailed the reds and in 1920 the borders between Finland and Russia were defined in the treaty of Tartu.
In August 1939 the Sovjets violated this treaty and attacked Finland. This resulted in the Winter War which lasted until March 1940. After operation Barbarossa the Fins joined the Germans against Russia as member of the Axis powers. Therefore Finland was the only democratic state to join the Axis powers. Finland however refused to permit extensions of Nazi anti-Semitic practices within Finland. This war, which lasted until September 1944 is know as the Continuation War by the Fins.
Although it was never stated officially by the Fins most historians agree that Finland had to join the Axis forces, because otherwise the country would have been crushed in a similar way Poland was.
When the Germans had to evacuate Estonia the Moscow armistice between Finland and Russia was signed in September 1944. Due to which Finland had to make many consessions, which resulted in new borders between Finland and Russia.
As not all the troops of their former German allies did not leave Finland, the Fins fought these former allies during the Lapland War. This war lasted from September 1944 until April 1945
A not very likely alliance
I consider an alliance between France, UK, and Germany with Finland to defeat the Soviet Union very unlikely. The First World War or Great War caused many huge scars which are often still noticable today almost a century later. One of the things not many perhaps realise is that, due to the fact this war was so horrible, already during the First World War a struggle started between the establisment who wanted to keep things as they were and people and movements which wanted to change everything to prevent re-occurance of such a war. The second group could more or less be devided in (extreme) left wing (communism) and extreme right wing (facism). This resulted in many conflicts and several civil Wars, from which the Spanish Civil War is most probably the best known, but even in my own peaceful country a plan was made to get rid of the monarchy.
The Axis powers were examples for the extreme right,where the UK and France were examples where the established order stayed in place. Any alliance with an extreme gouvernment, would be a direct thread to the stability of the establishment from the more conservative contries.(As Germany had trown out the Monarchy (Emperor Wilhelm II) an alliance with them would definitely put the position of the Royals in the UK under discussion).
Next to that, the largest frustrations caused by the armistice after the First World War were much blamed on the other parties. Therefore it is very unlikely that any of these parties could "sell" such an alliance to their own country.
Back to the Curtiss P-36/H-75
Curtiss never sold one Hawk to Finland as the Finnish Hawks were sold to them by the Germans. Most presumably because the Germans and Fins had a mutual enemy in the Russians. A part of these Hawks were captured in France and and some of them were captured in Norway, where several of them were not yet assembled and still stored in crates. Therefore it is most likely the all Finnish Hawks had been equipped with metrical instruments.
The Germans allowed the French to keep a reasonable amount of Hawks as well, which served with the Vichy forces.
Cheers,
Huub
... but I wanted to explain some things about things which have been mentioned in this thread so far. As you most likely already know I love history, so sit back and enjoy the free lesson.....
But first something very practical........
A nice conversion tool
A long time ago Milton Shupe pointed me towards a very nice free conversion tool. I use it both private as at work. You can find it here: http://joshmadison.com/software/convert-for-windows/
It is simple, but very handy and will run on any operating system.
A small history lesson about Finland during the Second World War.
Finland has been part of Sweden from 1200 until the end of the Finnish war between Sweden and Russia in 1809, when the Swedish lost Finland to Russia. Although Finland and Russia technically had one Head of State, it had the status of an autonomous Grand Duchy. When the Rusian empire collapsed this led to Finland's declaration of independence on 6 December 1917. This caused a civil war in Finland between the social democrats (Reds) and the conservatives (Whites). The Whites were supported by Imperial Germany and the Red by the Sovjets. The whites prevailed the reds and in 1920 the borders between Finland and Russia were defined in the treaty of Tartu.
In August 1939 the Sovjets violated this treaty and attacked Finland. This resulted in the Winter War which lasted until March 1940. After operation Barbarossa the Fins joined the Germans against Russia as member of the Axis powers. Therefore Finland was the only democratic state to join the Axis powers. Finland however refused to permit extensions of Nazi anti-Semitic practices within Finland. This war, which lasted until September 1944 is know as the Continuation War by the Fins.
Although it was never stated officially by the Fins most historians agree that Finland had to join the Axis forces, because otherwise the country would have been crushed in a similar way Poland was.
When the Germans had to evacuate Estonia the Moscow armistice between Finland and Russia was signed in September 1944. Due to which Finland had to make many consessions, which resulted in new borders between Finland and Russia.
As not all the troops of their former German allies did not leave Finland, the Fins fought these former allies during the Lapland War. This war lasted from September 1944 until April 1945
A not very likely alliance
I consider an alliance between France, UK, and Germany with Finland to defeat the Soviet Union very unlikely. The First World War or Great War caused many huge scars which are often still noticable today almost a century later. One of the things not many perhaps realise is that, due to the fact this war was so horrible, already during the First World War a struggle started between the establisment who wanted to keep things as they were and people and movements which wanted to change everything to prevent re-occurance of such a war. The second group could more or less be devided in (extreme) left wing (communism) and extreme right wing (facism). This resulted in many conflicts and several civil Wars, from which the Spanish Civil War is most probably the best known, but even in my own peaceful country a plan was made to get rid of the monarchy.
The Axis powers were examples for the extreme right,where the UK and France were examples where the established order stayed in place. Any alliance with an extreme gouvernment, would be a direct thread to the stability of the establishment from the more conservative contries.(As Germany had trown out the Monarchy (Emperor Wilhelm II) an alliance with them would definitely put the position of the Royals in the UK under discussion).
Next to that, the largest frustrations caused by the armistice after the First World War were much blamed on the other parties. Therefore it is very unlikely that any of these parties could "sell" such an alliance to their own country.
Back to the Curtiss P-36/H-75
Curtiss never sold one Hawk to Finland as the Finnish Hawks were sold to them by the Germans. Most presumably because the Germans and Fins had a mutual enemy in the Russians. A part of these Hawks were captured in France and and some of them were captured in Norway, where several of them were not yet assembled and still stored in crates. Therefore it is most likely the all Finnish Hawks had been equipped with metrical instruments.
The Germans allowed the French to keep a reasonable amount of Hawks as well, which served with the Vichy forces.
Cheers,
Huub
incredible work!
